NAESP’s 88th Convention & Exposition kicks off tomorrow, Thursday, April 2. Thousands of principals and educators from around the nation will be meeting in New Orleans to focus on leadership and professional development! The convention gives principals the tools to transform learning communities, and features dynamic speakers, a volunteer service day, and dozens of concurrent sessions.
To give you a firsthand account of these spectacular events, the Principals’ Office blog will feature guest blogger David M. Hanson. Follow David’s coverage of convention highlights, and don’t forget that you can ask him questions by leaving a comment at the end of the post.
You can access more up-to-date convention coverage at the Convention News Online Web page, where you will find convention articles, Twitter updates, photos, and video.Greetings from North Dakota
My name is David M. Hanson and for the second year in a row I am going to be serving as NAESP’s blogger for the national convention. I am the elementary principal for the Wyndmere Public Schools in Wyndmere, North Dakota. We are a small rural, public K-12 school located in Southeast North Dakota.
I serve as the state editor for the North Dakota Association of Elementary School Principals (NDAESP). I have also served in most all of the NDAESP leadership chairs, which has allowed me to attend several national conventions and several national leaders’ conferences. I am involved with NAESP through the state editors group: I administrate a Web site for the state editors as well as a list-serve.
If you have checked out the agenda for the conference, you will share my thoughts on the dilemma of picking just one speaker during each concurrent session. It appears that NAESP has done a wonderful job of preparing an awesome slate of speakers and sessions. I am looking forward to meeting with the state editors’ group as well as attending the National Distinguished Principals’ reunion. My advice is to take in as much as you can and to make sure to save some time to visit with your peers from across the nation. The networking opportunities at a national convention are top notch!
I look forward to sharing my journey with you!David

Hi David! I love that you're from ND! I grew up and taught in Hazen/Beulah and now have been in Idaho as an Elem. Principal for 5 years...still thinking that one day we'll come back to ND. I'm in N'Orlins right now - attending the NAESP for the first time! What a great day I had. I volunteered for the service project and it was incredible! Definitely something I hope to do every year!